Role of Pituitary Adenylate-Cyclase Activating Polypeptide and Tac1 gene derived tachykinins in sensory, motor and vascular functions under normal and neuropathic conditions

a b s t r a c t Pituitary Adenylate-Cyclase Activating Polypeptide (PACAP) and Tac1 gene-encoded tachykinins (sub- stance P: SP, neurokinin A: NKA) are expressed in capsaicin-sensitive nerves, but their role in nociception, inflammation and vasoregulation is unclear. Therefore, we investigated the function of these neuropeptides and the NK1 tachykinin receptor (from Tacr1 gene) in the partial sciatic nerve ligation- induced traumatic mononeuropathy model using gene deficient (PACAP −/−